Abrasive dental tool

Abstract

A dental tool for generating a relatively smooth surface on tooth enamel comprises an elongated shank with an operative end and an end adapted to engage a chuck of a dental handpiece. Any cross-section of the operative end perpendicular to the shank's longitudinal axis is circular with a diameter of less than 0.140 inch. Adjacent, continuous annular grooves extend around the operative end, each groove being defined by a pair of inwardly sloping side surfaces intersecting with each other at least about 0.010 inch from the shank's longitudinal axis and forming an included angle of 60° to 150° between the side surfaces. An abrasive material, such as diamond grit, having a particle size of less than 0.006 inch covers at least a portion of each surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A dental tool of unitary construction for use with a dental handpiece comprising: an elongate shank having a first operative end and a second end adapted to engage a chuck of a dental handpiece, any cross-section of said operative end perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shank being substantially circular, said operative end having a plurality of adjacent, continuous, substantially V-shaped annular grooves being devoid of cutting edges extending about said end, each of said grooves being formed by a pair of inclined side surfaces intersecting to form a substantially circular, lower junction lying in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shank, said lower junction encircling the longitudinal axis of said shank, said side surfaces intersecting side surfaces of adjacent grooves to form crests of said grooves, the included angle formed between said intersecting side surfaces being about 60° to 150°, the distance between crests of adjacent grooves being about 0.02 to 0.06 inch, and the distance from the longitudinal axis of said shank to said lower junction being greater than about 0.010 inch, and   an abrasive material covering at least a portion of the surfaces defining said grooves and having a particle size of less than about 0.006 inch,   said tool being adapted to generate by abrasion a relatively smooth surface upon the manual tracking and scanning thereof across the surface of a tooth.   
     
     
       2. The dental tool of claim 1 wherein said grooves are symmetrical V-shaped grooves. 
     
     
       3. The dental tool of claim 1 or 2 wherein the included angle formed between said intersecting side surfaces is about 120°. 
     
     
       4. The dental tool of claim 1 or 2 wherein said shank has from 3 to 12 grooves formed thereon. 
     
     
       5. The dental tool of claim 1 or 2 wherein the average particle size of said abrasive material is about 0.003 inch to about 0.006 inch. 
     
     
       6. The dental tool of claim 1 wherein the radial distance from the longitudinal axis to each crest of adjacent grooves decreases between said second end and the terminus of said first end. 
     
     
       7. The dental tool of claim 1 or 2 wherein the largest cross-sectional dimension of said second end perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shank is equal to or greater than the largest cross-sectional dimension of said first end perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shank.